Pitching has by far been the Austin baseball team’s biggest asset this season, but while the Packers were unable to win a pitchers' duel in the opener of Saturday's Big Nine doubleheader at Mankato East, Austin scored a season-high seven runs in the nightcap to earn a split.

Austin ended a two-week winless drought with its best offensive output of the season in game two, 7-3, giving pitcher Andy Klapperick the best run support any Packer hurler has gotten this season.

Tim Johnson's complete-game four-hitter was not enough to knock out a win in the opener as Mankato East's Mark Rivers won the showdown with a one-hit shutout, 1-0.

"We got two real strong pitching performances, that's the first time all year we've had two guys go the distance," said Austin coach Kris Fadness. "Tim Johnson deserved a better fate, and Klap was just a bulldog.

"We're looking at the second game as hopefully a step forward."

Austin (3-8, 3-6) had not won since April 23 against Mankato West, ending a four-game skid with the win in game two. The Packers host Rochester John Marshall (4-7, 4-6) Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Marcusen Park.

Austin's Matt Johnson reached base to lead off all three Packer at-bats that resulted in runs. Johnson singled, stole second and scored on Brandon Schaefer's single to break the ice in the top of the first inning.

Both teams tallied twice in the fifth inning, with Austin taking a 3-0 lead on RBIs from Kyle Rizzi and Jim Knoebel.

Johnson singled to lead off and scored after two sacrifice bunts, while Schaefer came around on Knoebel's fielder's choice grounder.

Johnson again set the table with a walk in the top of the seventh and later scored on a passed ball to spur a four-run inning.

Knoebel drove in two with a bases-loaded single, and after Klapperick reached on a fielder's choice, Rizzi scored on a double steal.

Seven runs was more than enough for Klapperick, who scattered nine hits, two walks and one hit batter over the complete-game victory, striking out six.

East's Mark Tindall drove in all three Cougar runs but still got the loss.

Pitcher's duel

Tim Johnson's 10 strikeouts was a season-high, but the Packers were blanked offensively for just the second time this season as East's Mark Rivers allowed one hit in a 1-0 opener. Rivers struck out nine in the shutout.

"Both of them threw awfully well," Coach Fadness said. "Those guys were just dominant."

Mankato East (5-7, 4-7) scored what would prove to be the game-winning run in the bottom of the first inning as Tindall plated leadoff hitter Mark Norland with a two-out single. Norland reached on an error to start the inning. Austin's only legitimate scoring opportunity fell flat in the fourth inning as the Packers stranded two runners in scoring position. Nick Bowe led off the inning with Austin's only hit -- a double -- but none of the next four hitters got the ball out of the infield.

Linescores

Game One

Austin0000000–012

East1000000–141

WP: Mark Rivers

LP: Tim Johnson.

Game Two

Austin1000204–761

East0000201–393

WP:Andy Klapperick

LP: Mark Tindall